Game



July 11, 1933. Q L CLARK 1,917,700

GAME

Filed Feb. 17, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 11, 1933.

GAME

Filed Feb. 17, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 5 6 7 .9 0 /2 5015/5 17/53/9202/22 2324252677262? 5/52 as5e 7 8594w/4z 4;-

Z0 o v SJ mmvhoz 1 1 17 6'. Clark.

Patented July 11, 1933 FATE ()Fl lCE CURTIS LUBIN CLARK, F EDDY, TEXASGAME Application filed February 17, 1932. Serial No. 593,593.

This invention relates to game apparatus and has for its object theprovision of an apparatus by the use of which there may be played a gameclosely simulating the game of basketball. The invention seeks toproyide an apparatus in which a ball may be manipulated by leversextending to the sides of the board or apparatus and so directed as tobe deposited in a goal basket, and another object of the invention is toprovide a game board of such form that it will direct the ball thereoninto certain, definite positions at which will be located devicescorresponding to the members of a basketball team. The invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be hereinafter fullydescribed, the novel features being particularly defined in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan view of an apparatus embodying theinvention,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a transverse section onthe line 33 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4: is a detail perspective view of one of the lever systems bywhich the ball 1s manipulated,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged screw.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided a board 1 which is theequivalent of the playing field and 1s supported in any convenientmanner, as by a frame 2 which will enclose the space below the board andwill support the board above the floor or a table. Disposed upon theboard, and rising therefrom, is an upper frame 3 which is preferablyrectangular, as shown in Fig. 1, and has its sides formed of reticulatedmaterial, such as wire netting, as indicatedat 4:, whereby the positionof the ball maybe easily noted and the movements of the same may beobserved. Upon the end wallsof this upper frame 3 are secured baskets 5which are the equivalent of the goal baskets used in the court game andmay be secured in any convenient manner. In the upper edges of the sidewalls of the frame 3 notches 6 are formed at regular intervals along thelength of the side walls and a counter 7 is provided to rest detail of atension upon the upper edge of each side wall and is formed with acentral depending tooth 8 to seat within any one of the notches 6. Thenotches are numbered consecutively from one end of thewall to theopposite end 5 thereof and the counter is shifted from notch to notch asthe game progresses and goals are scored. 7

In the upper surface of the board or floor 1 are formed depressions 9which tapering; all directions toward their centers, one of thedepressions being located at the center of the board and extending fromside to side thereof, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. At opposite sides ofthe medial longitudinal line of the board, within the centraldepression, are located levers 10 which fit in openings 11 providedtherefor and extend in opposite directions from their pivots, as shownin Fig. 1. Each lever is pivoted, as at 12, be tween its ends and to oneend is pivoted the upper end of a. link 10 which eXtends downwardlythrough the opening 11 and is piv- Oted at its lower end to a k y lever14: which extends outwardly through a vertical slot 15 in the side ofthe lower frame and is provided with a push button or key 16 at itsouter free end. The key lever is pivoted at its inner end to a bracket17 secured upon the side of the lower frame and a retractile spring 18is anchored at its upper end to the frame or to the underside of theboard 1 and has its lower end connected with the key lever. Thekey leveris provided with a lug or bracket 19 and a tension screw 20 is 8 engagedthrough said lug, said screw having the lower end of the spring 18attached thereto so that by adjusting the screw the tension of thespring may be regulated. The free end of the playing lever 10 isexpanded or enlarged to form a head or scoop 21 the upper side of whichis concave, as shown at 22, to form a seat for the playing ball,inclicated at 23. A key. lever isprovided for each position in the gameand, of course, a playing lever 10 is provided for each position, theplaying levers being disposed in the board at points corresponding tothe positions assumed by the several players in the court game, and theseveral keys are marked with letters or other characters, as shown inFig. l, designating the positions which are manipulated or controlled bythe respective key levers.

Upon reference to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the side and endwalls of the upper frame rest at their lower edges upon the board 1 butare not secured thereto, and may, therefore, be removed when not in useso that the apparatus may be shipped or stored in knocked-down form toeconomize space. On the outer faces of the end walls are secured bracingposts 25 which have their lower ends extended below the lower edges ofthe walls to seat in stirrups or bails 26 secured on the end edges ofthe board, the end walls being thereby held against dropping from theboard. In the inner faces of the end walls, adjacent the side edgesthereof, are vertical grooves which receive the end edges of the sidewalls, as shown at 27. When the frame is to be dismantled, the sides arelifted from the grooves in the ends and the sides removed by lifting theposts 25 from their seats, as will be understood.

In playing the game, a small rubber ball is employed and it is tossedinto the central depression or position of the board to come to restupon the seat 22 of one of the central playing levers 10. The opposedplayers are located at opposite sides of the apparatus and willmanipulate the keys at their respective sides so as to impart an upwardswinging movement to the respective playing levers so that the ballwhich may rest upon a lever will be thrown upwardly and toward the endof the apparatus, the object, of course, being to deposit the ball inthe goal basket. The device is conducive to considerable entertainmentand players quickly be come absorbed in playing the game. lVith littlepractice, they may become quite expert in manipulating the key levers soas to impart to the ball just the proper impetus to project it into thebasket or pass it to a pocket or lever representing a player on the sameteam, and it will be noted that the several playing levers are locatedupon lines such that, when they are respectively rocked, the ballresting thereon will be projected in the general direction of the propergoal basket, the levers corresponding to the guards being so positionedthat the ball will be thrown away from the adjacent basket when suchlevers are manipulated while the other levers will direct the balltoward the basket. The key levers respond very quickly to a pushimparted thereto and should be manipulated with a snapping action, theretractile springs returning them instantly to their upper normalpositions, and the slots 15 in the sides of the floor frame constituteguides for the levers so that they will be caused to move in rectilinearpaths. A key lever and connection is provided for each playing lever andthey are independently manipulated. The apparatus is very simple andcompact and may be made in various sizes and will provide harmlessamusement for old and youn Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A game apparatus comprising a playing field having depressions in itssurface, rocking arms pivotally mounted intermediate their ends in thedepressions and formed with substantially circular terminal heads theupper faces of which are concave to receive and support a ball, goalssupported above the playing field at the ends thereof, and means belowthe playing field for mani pulating the rocking arms whereby a ball resting upon an arm will be tossed toward a goal.

a 2. A game apparatus comprising a playing field having playingpositions designated thereon, goals supported above the playing field atthe ends thereof, rocking members pivotally mounted intermediate theirends in the playing field at the designated playing positions and eachprovided with arms of different lengths, the long arms being formed withsubstantially circular heads having concave upper faces adapted tosupport a ball, operating levers below the playing field, andconnections between the operating levers and the short arms of therocking members whereby a rocking member may be mani pulated to toss aball thereon toward a goal.

3. A game apparatus comprising a playing field having playing positionsdesignated thereon, goals supported above the field at the ends of thesame. rocking members pivotally mounted intermediate their ends in thefield at playing positions, and each provided with arms of differentlengths, the long arms being formed with substantially circular headshaving concave upper faces adapted to receive a ball, key leversfulcrumed below the playing field and extending to the sides thereof,links connecting said operating levers with the short arms of therocking members whereby the rocking members may be manipulated to toss aball toward a goal,

and a retractile spring attached to the operating levers and anchoredabove the same whereby the levers and rocking members are normally heldin positions of rest.

In testimony whereof I aflir; my signature.

CURTIS L. CLARK. LL.s.J

